NC state Sen. Ed Jones dead at 62

North Carolina state Sen. Ed Jones has died at age 62, several months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Jones' daughter, Alesha Garrett, said Friday her father died at 2:20 p.m. at his Halifax County home.

Jones was a Democrat, a 30-year state trooper, former police chief of Enfield and later its mayor. He served two years in the House before joining the Senate in 2007, succeeding Sen. Robert Holloman, who also died in office. Jones won re-election to another two-year term last month in the 4th Senate District.

Jones' death means Democratic leaders in five northeastern counties that comprise his district - Halifax, Vance and Warren counties and parts of Nash and Wilson counties - will choose his successor to serve his next term through the end of 2014.

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